Laura Duke

Laura Duke serves as a Contract Specialist at the Missile Defense Agency (HQ0276), where she plays a critical role in executing complex procurement actions to support the development and fielding of integrated missile defense systems. She manages the acquisition lifecycle for high-priority research and development contracts, ensuring alignment with national security objectives and technical requirements for ballistic and hypersonic threat countermeasures. Her portfolio primarily encompasses engineering services, systems integration, sensor technology, and command-and-control architecture development, all essential to advancing the Agency’s kinetic and non-kinetic defense capabilities. Laura ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while facilitating timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities to operational forces. Laura collaborates with a diverse array of defense contractors and research institutions specializing in advanced aerospace and defense technologies. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with prime contractors possessing deep expertise in missile interceptors, radar systems, and real-time data fusion architectures. Her working relationships are characterized by technical rigor, performance-based contracting, and close coordination with engineering and test teams to align deliverables with operational needs. She fosters long-term partnerships with firms capable of rapid prototyping and iterative system development under tight security protocols. Laura’s contracting approach reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions issued as no set-aside procurements. This indicates a strategic focus on selecting the most technically qualified offerors regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing mission effectiveness and capability readiness over set-aside mandates. While small business participation is not formally targeted, her awards remain accessible to all qualified vendors, including those with specialized technical certifications. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting deep expertise in advanced defense R&D. She procures cutting-edge technologies including hypersonic tracking sensors, mid-course interceptors, and secure battle management systems, working closely with engineering firms, systems integrators, and defense laboratories to advance next-generation missile defense architectures.